Page 69 of The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts

He stopped and smiled at her. ‘Thank you. Come on, it’s cold.’

She had a sudden thought. ‘You didn’t dance with me.’

‘I thought Tom would enjoy it more.’

She frowned up at him. ‘I don’t like him the way I like you.’

He tugged at her to start moving, but she found she was having trouble walking.

‘My feet aren’t working properly.’

‘I’m not surprised,’ he told her, with a sigh.

To her amazement, the next moment she found that she was in his arms as he carried her across the bridge.

‘Don’t drop me in,’ she said, clutching his neck tightly as she glanced down at the water.

‘It might sober you up,’ she thought she heard him say.

She yawned as he placed her on the veranda next to him whilst he fiddled with the key and let them into the shop.

‘In you go,’ he said, as he opened the door.

‘My feet still don’t work,’ she told him.

‘I thought they wouldn’t,’ he replied, picking her up once more and carrying her over the threshold.

‘Like a bride,’ she said. ‘Mr and Mrs Kennedy!’

He raised an eyebrow at her as he locked the door behind them. ‘I thought that was my parents.’

‘If you marry, you’ll be Mr and Mrs Kennedy as well.’

‘I guess so,’ he replied. ‘I’d have to find someone to marry me first, of course.’

They slowly went up the stairs, step by step, with Amber still in his arms as he carried her.

‘I’d marry you,’ she told him, as he put her down next to what appeared to be her bedroom.

He leant against the door frame and swept something off her face. She thought it was a lock of hair. ‘You would?’ he asked softly.

‘Oh yes,’ she said, reaching out to stroke his face. His chin was rough where he hadn’t shaved since that morning, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling beneath her fingers. ‘You’re really very nice.’

His eyes twinkled. ‘Gee. Thanks. I’m just nice, am I?’

‘No! You’re more than that! You’re hot!’ she laughed before suddenly feeling perfectly miserable. ‘Not that you would think the same about me.’

‘You obviously didn’t look in the mirror before we came out,’ he told her.

‘I did!’ she replied. ‘I had to check no VPL.’

He shook his head. ‘That wasn’t what I meant.’

‘Well, you should say what you mean,’ she told him, feeling a bit cross-eyed. ‘It’s very confusing otherwise.’

‘And you should go to bed,’ he told her. ‘You’re going to feel ghastly in the morning.’

‘But I feel lovely now. Do I get a goodnight’s kiss?’ she asked, feeling hopeful. After all, it was dark and they were alone.